Top 10 Auto Show Winners
CARS.COM — Even though the auto show season produced some losers, there were many cars we loved. Using our Winners and Losers series from the 2015-2016 auto show season, our editors picked our 10 favorites.
Related: Top 10 Auto Show Losers
Whose light shined the brightest? Read on.
10. 2017 Infiniti Q60
We have high hopes for the 2017 Infiniti Q60 coupe. “Finally, Infiniti styling that looks good,” said Detroit Bureau Chief Aaron Bragman. “Better than good, really, it’s distinctive and sexy without being weird like a Lexus RC.” Senior Road Test Editor Joe Bruzek was even more direct: “Don’t screw this up, Infiniti.”
9. 2017 Nissan GT-R
Its new cabin was a key part of why the 2017 GT-R coupe made our list. In the previous model, we found cabin quality far lagging its six-figure price. “The new GT-R’s high-quality leather interior and fresh color combinations are far more appropriate for a $100,000-plus sports car,” Bruzek said.
8. 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
The E-Class is leaps and bounds ahead of its competitors, particularly in interior features, which Senior Editor Mike Hanley found “are really impressive, bringing a lot of elements from the flagship S-Class down to the brand’s midsize model. Add in the available technology features that move the E-Class closer to a self-driving car and you have a strong redesign.”
7. 2016 Civic Coupe
Honda gets points for matching the production Civic Coupe so closely to the concept we saw in New York in 2015. Executive editor Joe Wiesenfelder especially liked the styling, saying, “Coupes attract a particular type of cat, and this one’s styling could prove to be the meow.”
6. 2016 Mazda CX-9
The large crossover was due for a serious update, and it certainly got one. We have high hopes for the CX-9, with Hanley saying, “The sporty, athletic design sets the new CX-9 apart from many of its three-row competitors, and the cabin showcases just how nice high-end trim levels will be.”
5. 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia
The Giulia sport sedan was a big hit when it appeared in Los Angeles last fall. As nice as it looks from the outside, the little things on the inside are just as exciting. According to Bragman, “Uniquely styled with an emphasis on serious sporting ability, everything from the carbon fiber-trimmed seats to the thin-rim suede steering wheel screams ‘racecar.’ The details are awesome too – the green, white and red stitching on one version was wicked cool.”
4. 2017 Volvo S90
We do care about more than just what a car looks like on the outside. “The richly appointed cabin positions the S90 well against established luxury cars. With the XC90 and now this, Volvo is on a roll,” said Hanley.
3. 2017 Lexus LC 500
The LC 500 coupe made our jaws drop when it made its debut in Detroit. Bruzek exclaimed, “Its relatively skinny tire size may indicate it’s more of a road king than track hound, but either way, the car is a piece of art.”
2. 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF
We’re already fans of the MX-5 Miata in soft-top convertible form; when Mazda unveiled the MX-5 Miata RF retractable hardtop, they showed they could make an already attractive car even prettier. “When those doors opened at the Mazda event and the Miata MX-5 RF rolled onto the stage, I didn’t realize my mouth was open until a few minutes later,” said L.A. Bureau Chief Brian Wong.
1. 2017 Chrysler Pacifica
The Pacifica was a unanimous hit in terms of both style and substance. “It’s easily the best-looking minivan on the market, with a space-age smoothness that throws the awkward zigzag lines of the Honda Odyssey under the proverbial bus,” Bragman raved. The Pacifica’s improved interior utility and technology also wowed, from its optional rear-seat touch-screen multimedia system with built-in apps and its in-van vacuum cleaner to its improved fuel economy and available plug-in hybrid model – a first for the minivan segment.
